Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-05
A BALLOT BOX STUFFED.
STARTLING TEsTIM ONY IN NEg
JERSEYS ASSEMBLY.

| Republicans Put Locksmith on ths
Stand In an EndeAvor to Convict
Democrats of Fraud in Centre Town.
ship--The Witness Held by the Ser.
geRnt-st- Arms.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 4.-Startllng evil
dence was presented before the New Jer-
sey Assembly Election Committee in
Camden to-day by the Republicans, to
prove that the ballot box OF Centre town.
ship was opened by the Democrats and
enough votes changed from Haines to
Turley to insure the election OF the latter
on the recount. William Chambley. a
locksnith of Philadelphia, was placed on
the stand, and his testimony caused a
sensation in the court room. In answers
to questions by the Republican counsel
he said;
l was sent for TO come over TO New Jersel
20 open the box. and went and opened it. II
was an awful dark and stormy night. 1t was
in last November. crossed by ferry. Thera
WAS one man with me. When we got across
we got in carriage. don't know the man.
We drove around corner and then another
man got IN with the friend who came across
the river with me. We drove up the country
u good distance and stopped when we got "a
the place where the box was. 1t was pri-
vate dwelling. All three got out. was ths
last one IN. There was no one there.
AT WORK.
''I carried my tools, lock picks, Ies,
screw drivers, etc, with me, | opened
the box II wes that box pointing TO the Cen-
tire township box. That Is the one operated
upon. 1t had three locks. picked it open,
There were papers in It, bat didn't see " hat
they were. Tnen unscrewed the locks and
made keys to mt them. Those keys gave 10
the men. After opened the box and mada
the KEYS was paid $40 by one Of the men,
Then entered the carriage and was driven
nearly to the railroad station and | went
home.
On crOss-eXamination by MIR. McDers
mott, counsel for the Democrats, the wit
ness said he had never been arrested AMI
had never opened but one ballot box be.
fore. He thought he was merely doing an
ordinary piece of work and hadsn idea ha
was committing a crime. Mr.. McDer-
mott asked that the witness be detanedJ
and Chairman Matthews directed tho
Sergeant-at-Arms to take him into cusl
tody.
TERRORIzATIoN FEARED.
The Republican counsel objected tn
what they claimed was an attempt 10
terrorize the witness. Ex-Judgo Pans
coast, Haines' counsel, said:
II is not within the province of this cons
mitteO TO attempt to terrOrize the witness. 1
pro est against 1t in the name OF the law and
custody OF the Sergeant-at- Arms you do so
at your peril demand his instant release.
BY a vote OF three to two the COMMITTEES
sustained Chairman Matthews, and the
Sergeant-at-Armsw was instructed to take
the witness in charge and see that he
did not leave the State. The committee.
then adjourned until later in the after
noon. The Republicans claim that they
can sustain Chambley's evidence by other
testimony, and that they have discovered
the details of a Democratic conspiracy I'd
change the result in the Third district.
WEST vIRGINIHs sENAToRsHIP.
CHARLESTON, W. VA, Feb. 4-Tha
vote to-day for United States Senator re-
suited Flick Rep. }, 3S; Camden Dem. N
3S; johnson and Lucas Dems.). eachi
7 scattering. Two members were ABSENT